Tuesday morning, two drivers lost their lives in a tragic MoPac accident. A motorcyclist rear-ended an SUV on MoPac near 2222. The motorcycle stopped and the motorcyclist fell in the outside lane of traffic. A good Samaritan stopped on the shoulder and went to help the motorcyclist. Unfortunately, another vehicle came up and hit them, killing both.

This tragedy is a reminder about the dangers of parking on the side of the road or, in this case, being in the roadway. The side of the roadway continues to be one of the most dangerous places on highways. While people think they’re parked out of harm’s way, they are targets for oncoming traffic. I’ve previously written about the dangers of parking on the side of the road, including providing some tips about what to do.

Helping someone in traffic is even more dangerous. While helping, it’s critical that you protect yourself so you are seen by oncoming traffic. For instance, in this wreck, instead of pulling over, the good Samaritan might have been better served by pulling up behind the motorcyclist and putting his car’s flashers on.

I know these are emergency situations, and it’s hard to predict those risks. But last night, at my son’s cub scout meeting, the topic was planning for emergencies. If you think a little bit before hand about how you might respond to certain situations, including how you might help others, you’ll make safer & better decisions than trying to decide what to do in the heat of the moment.

So think about how you might react in such a situation if you need to provide help. Don’t let this good Samaritan and motorcyclist’s deaths be in vain.